UNITED NATIONS, Feb 13 (APP) The Security Council must “take concrete and targeted measures” against those parties that persistently use or abuse children during armed conflicts around the world, the U.N. envoy on the issue said Tuesday.
Addressing the 15-nation council during a day-long open debate, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy noted the ongoing impunity for those persistent violators that use or abuse children during wars.
From Afghanistan to Sri Lanka and Myanmar and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Uganda, parties to armed conflicts kill, maim, abduct or sexually assault children; deny humanitarian access to children in need; and recruit and use child soldiers. In total, at least 58 parties are known to be offenders.
Ms. Coomaraswamy called for the establishment of a mechanism by the council to review and oversee targeted measures against violators to end their impunity.
“It is most important that the Council make good on its promise in order to ensure the credibility of this exercise,” she said.
“The targeted measures could include the imposition of travel restrictions on leaders and their exclusion from any governance structures and amnesty provisions, the imposition of arms embargoes, a ban on military assistance, and restriction on the flow of financial resources to the parties concerned.”
While acknowledging that some parties have made important commitments in peace accords and action plans to stop recruiting child soldiers, the Special Representative warned that in some regional conflicts such as those in the Great Lakes and Horn regions of Africa cross-border recruitment from refugee camps is surging.
The detention of children for alleged association with armed groups is also worrying and a violation of international standards, she said, noting that many detained children face ill-treatment, torture, interrogations and food deprivation.
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Ann Veneman told the Security Council debate that it was possible to reintegrate children used by armed forces and groups, especially once they are given the necessary skills and assistance to become productive members of their communities.
“Yet reintegration is a difficult and long-term process requiring patience and long-term commitment,” Ms. Veneman said, adding that UNICEF is already working in several countries notably the Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan to reintegrate children.
She also highlighted the particular vulnerability of girls and women during armed conflicts because of sexual violence.
Representatives of dozens of countries, including French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner then addressed the council during the debate, which follows the recent release of a UN report stating that children are still recruited and used in armed conflicts in at least 13 nations worldwide.
They are Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the CAR, Colombia, the DRC, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Uganda.